The present invention relates to a device for promoting the gravity flow of sticky, light powders and other non-free-flowing solids.
In many commercial production processes, light, sticky, hydroscopic non-free-flowing powders tend to bridge in bins, processing vessels, pipes, ducts and other containers. In such cases, the bridged solids must be dug out either mechanically or manually, depending upon the application.
Thus, for example, in the commercial production of zirconium metal from zirconium-containing zircon sand, the zircon sand is carbochlorinated at temperatures of up to about 1000.degree. C. or more to produce a zirconium tetrachloride-containing gas. The gas is cooled down to about 150.degree. C. in order to condense the zirconium tetrachloride as a powder in a condenser. The powder is transferred from the condenser to another processing vessel and further processed. The zirconium tetrachloride powder is very light and tends to bridge in the various processing containers and will not gravity flow from the containers. Thus, the powder must be dug out of the vessels, piping and the like manually.